The Keepers: Rise
by Eastonia
Summary: In a world where Accida manipulates and destroys, the Keepers rise to Protect and defend. From tragedy, oppression and persecution they rise, this is their story. Superhero Gaang eventual Zutara and Taang. Toph's Origin story up! HAPPY 2012 PEOPLE!
1. Prologue: And The Story Begins

Disclaimer: In Profile, once I get around to it…

A/N

Hey, hey, hey!

It's finally here! The first chapter of The Keepers: Rise is finally here! Ok technically it's the prologue, but it is a chapter. I can assure you it is not 50 to 100 words this time. Okay, warning time: THIS CHAPTER IS AN INTRODUCTION! ZUKO AND THE REST ARE NOT IN IT YET… Yeah… sorry… but I did want to give more of a background to show you the roots of the main villain and the main 'Sith' of sorts. Also If you can tell me the statement written in bold, I do a zutara fic commission if you like. Just tell me what you want it about. (note: no lemons or 'M' rate stuff pls? I don't and can't write that stuff.) Okay, without much ado, (get it? Much ado about nothing? Shakespeare? Okay, okay…Shutting up.) The story.

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

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The Keepers: Rise

Prolouge: And The Story Starts

The island country of Libramen. A land lined with cool waves, white beaches and lush forests. Some of which were evergreen and some of which were tropical. There were small towns and large cities. And the city of Pacis. The capital of Libramen, glowed with a warm heart. The city throbbed with love and kindness.

Yet even the best of cities have their dark side, for cities often act like the people living in them. Each person is like a cell of the city's body, and if one cell turns bad, it slowly spreads like an infection, unless the 'antibodies' ( the law-enforcers) stamp it out. But we know all too well sometimes the antibodies can become corrupted and they leave their true duty to slowly bring a city to stagnant death.

There was one city that still seemed safe at the time. Unitas, the city of unity. But all is not what it seems. For the city of Unity was the head quarters of what would be known as one as the most terrifying organisations in the world of Terre. Accida.

No one knew how exactly how Accida started, only that it was a psychopath's dream come true. But they knew how to identify those in Accida or the crimes that they did from this one sign, a comet on fire, with a stylized 's' in the middle.

Many are lured into joining this group. Those who are rich join for greed. Those who are poor enter to gain the wealth. Those who are strong join for the thrill. Those who are weak enter for the promise of healing.

Accida is infamous for it's crimes. But that isn't the real danger of Accida, the real danger is much more secret, much more violent. The danger of Accida is genetical experiments that they do on those who have 'the spark'.

Sozin Ignis was one of these. But unlike the hundreds of other experiments he had offered up his body willingly. The pain of the transformation was unbearable, but somehow, he survived. Somehow, no real changes happened to him. Accida considered him both a success and a failure. A success, for none had survived the procedure before. A failure, for nothing seemed to happen. That was where they were wrong. Sozin became more charismatic to the public. It was said that he was able to talk his way out of any situation, any troubles. And that's when IngnisCorps® grew and worked its way to the number one spot as the wealthiest company in the whole of Terre.

Despite all of this, no one could see the madness slowly gripping him. And when the time came, the madness would consume his decedents. And push them onto the blade's edge, where they would either fall into the light, or, more often that not, throw them into evil.

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A/N

So how was it? Any ideas? What can be done to improve it? Constructive criticism appreciated! Review pls!

Eastonia


	2. Origins I Zuko, Movement I Sorrow

A/N

Next instalment! It's the Origin of the Blue Spirit! There will be three movements in his story, the first, that you are about to read is entitled Sorrow, the next is titled Preparing and the last is Redemption. Congrats to anime-lovin-freak that spotted the hidden message first! Note that I will only write the oneshot of the person that finds it first! Yes there is another one here. And sorry anime-lovin-freak, but you have to wait to the next chappie to get your free story!!! Anyway, lets start the story!!!

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

**The Keepers: Rise**

Chapter 1: Origins I, Zuko

Movement I- Sorrow

The Ignis family **l**aughed among the fireworks of the Lunar New Year. Ozai and Ursa watched as their son and daughter played in the remnants of the cool white snow. They were rich, because of the various investments the family had made, and Ozai was the owner of **I**gnisCorps. For he was the one that outbid this brother, Iroh after he had died.

Ursa looked at her family. They lived in the city of Unitas, in Libramen. Unitas, what does it mean really? In the old language it meant unity. And it was indeed what the city seemed to have. The city of Pacis was the capital, but it was also the most peaceful. She laughed sliently to herself at a small random revelation. Pacis was the capital, but the most people lived in Unitas. Pacis was where the government precided, Unitas was where the people chose to live.

She continued her musings, indeed, who wouldn't want to live in Unitas, it combined the brilliance of the urban city with an almost rural quaintness of the suburbs. Most of the citizens where **k**ind and friendly and the mayoral office always seemed to be filled with a good and just man, but Unitas had enough flaws to make it real and not just a apparition of weary minds and souls. The biggest flaw of all was a rumour. It was a rumour of burnt men. Arson. Death. Blood and evil. All of those words had become linked in one way or anoth**e**r to Accida.

How **a**ppropriate that the most feared terrorist organisation in Libramen was named in the old language after what it caused. Destruction. Destruction that seemed linked to the family she married into and bore heirs to. Yes, even though this was hardly told in Unitas, very few peo**p**le knew of the dark past of the t**h**eir "first family". Now, she f**o**und the fact that the Ignis family and not the mayoral family was consid**e**red the represe**n**tat**i**ves of their city, their **X**anadu.

Her thoughts went back to the dark past of the **I**gnis's. It was said that Sozin Ignis was a part of Accida, but none could prove it. The few that knew about the 'skeletons in the closet' of the Ignis's whispered that his vacation to the Cineras Archipelago was actually his time as a voluntary experiment of said o**r**ganisation.

Ursa turned her thoughts away from her mus**i**ngs and towards the landscape that surrounded her family. Their **s**urroundings were the hustle and bustle of China Town. Funny really. Libramen's first inhabitants wer**e** the Chinese sailors that colonised the country, yet you could see the influences of the west everywhere, and one clear example of that influence was China Town. They were walking through a park; you could see blades of green grass piercing through the snow and you could see the battle between winter and spring taking place on the trees. Their branches weighed heavy with white yet here and ther you could see the green specks o**f** leave taking hold. The wonder of the season! The joy of spring was at hand! She smiled at these thoughts and observations and let her hand wander to her stomach. She caressed he**r** abdomen smiling lightly at the life within. She glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who was standing a few paces behind her looking at the entire scene. Maybe, today was the day. Maybe she would tell him about the new arrival today. Maybe, just maybe…

Ozai looked at the entire scene. His wife caressed her abd**o**men lovingly, as she looked at their two children play in the remains of the thick bank of snow in Fons Candela park. He stood slightly away from his family because he was expecting a rather unusual call soon.

Ozai was a member of Accida, he was probably one of the higher ranked 'brothers' as well. His family's wealth was not only from IgnisCorps, but also from his secret, illicit activities with the terrorist organisation. The call he was expecting? Well, that was to be his next **m**ission.

His phone rang, once, twice; that was the signal. Gesturing to his wife he pointed at his mobile. She nodded, and he walked away. He returned the call.

"MalumVox?" **The** voice asked

"Evening, AterMunus" Ozai replied

"Brother, there have been sightings of a girl with the spark in your area."

"Really? Well, she must be escorted immediately to the AtrumTemplum"

"We are glad you think that. She is accompanied with her mother and a older boy, probably her brother."

"AterManus, you talk as if my daughter is the one with the spark!"

"MalumVox, the child with the spark is your daughter."

Ozai fell silent for a while as a great joy filled his being. His child, held such power within her to have the spark! Who knew, maybe his wife ad his son also held it! Quickly he asked

"Does the boy or Ursa show any signs?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry Oz-"

"Don't speak my birth name! It's against the code! Besides, the weak MUST die to breed the strong. If my son and wife are weak then I will destroy them both."

"Spoken like a true son of the Dran, but you have no need to kill your son."

"Ahhh…I see why. He has always been weak. The loss of his entire **f**amily should be enough to break him. For I hear a promotion is waiting for me."

"Congratulations on the promotion to the Dran's heir Ma**l**umVox"

"Thank you, are all my supplies and **a**ssets ready?"

"Yes. And you will have no need of IgnisCorps after this."

"I understand, I have made it so without heirs to the co**m**pany, it will crumble."

"Wise choic**e**s Dran's hier."

"MalumVox out."

Ozai knew what he had to do. He had to kill his wife, take his child to AtrumTemplum, and leave the boy-child that he **s**ired to rot. He pulled out the gun that he hid in his boot and placed one bullet into it. He didn't need any more to do his job. He speed dailed his wife's number and hung up on the first ring. The signal was given to his squad to get ready. He walked back towards the park. Back towards his family, this time with the symbol of Accida across his breast. He saw the boy (in the past few minutes, his first-born son had become a stranger to him) run towards him, laughter and innocence highlighting the boy's youthful features. Suddenly Zuko (which was the name of the boy) slowed down, and as the boy slowed down he lifted his hand which held the gun. And fired.

Zuko ran towards his father, laughing, with a snowball hidden behind his back. His father was going to be so surprised! Possibly a bit mad, but he was sure that after his dad's initial shock, they would have a rousing snowball fight. But something was strange, something was different about his father. He bore a black flaming skull on his right breast. Zuko knew that symbol, he slowed his run to remember where he saw it. He heard a deafening crack. He saw his sister struggle against the men that seized her, who also had the symbol across their chest. He saw the white snow become stained with his mother's brick red blood. He remembered that symbol now. It was the symbol for Accida. As quickly as his mother's death happened, the men and the man who sired him (he refused to call a murderer his father now), disappeared and with them they took his sister and his mother's life.

As his mother's blood poured out onto the snow, he knew. It wasn't one, but three people's lives that had been taken that day. It was the life of his mother. The life of his unborn sibling and ultimately; the life of Zuko Ignis, a small 8 year old boy.

From that day on, Zuko was changed because of one incident, he would spend his life seeking revenge.

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A/N

So how was it? Good bad, should I change it? Well…Please Review and rate the story!!! Constructive critism welcome!!!


	3. Origins I Zuko, Movement II Preparing

A/N

So it's finally here!!! The second movement of the Blue Spirit's Origin is here!!! Now Just to let you know, amilachap has forfeited their right to a oneshot in favour of an update of the teasers ( BTW still working on it… Sorry!!!) So for an extra special twist to this chapter…Cos it's mainly a filler for time to pass by… The reviewer that spots the hidden sentence ( I chaned the bold code..too visible..) will get a Zutara oneshot and the twentieth reviewer will get a Zutara oneshot too! ( 15 reviews already!!! That was fast!!!) Shout out to the Anonymous reviewer that really admired my writing. Thank you. And another shoutout to cartoonartist, cos she's an awesome Zutara convert. Welcome to the Jedis sister!!! And thank you for being in my school!!! I know, I know…Get on with the story…

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins I, Zuko

Movement II, Preparing.

Now you see, Libramen didn't have a traditional graveyard like most countries. There was a small island, just a few leagues off to the south-west of the coast of Libramen, that was called Phasma Insula. This was the communal graveyard of the whole of the nation. The _I_gnis family crypt was here. Zuko stared down at the three new graves. One for his mother, one for his sister and the last for his father. He stood in the middle of the graves for his mother and sister as the rain poured down. The heavens were crying right alongside him. The mourners had all left. He was the last one there at the Libramen grave-isle.

Well, not the last.

Iroh stood slightly behind Zuko, offering him support and comfort. Problem is, Zuko didn't want it. Zuko was clinging on to the last thing that kept him going. Hatred for his father. He never really showed it before the death of his mother and unborn sibling, but behind the mischievous exterior, he had a tactical and mature mind. No one really knew about it because he let emotion influence his actions. Anger was now his main emotion. The mind of an avenger took over his heart of gold. Putting up barriers, _w_alls to stop himself from ever hurting again. Not even his uncle's love would be enough to tear them down.

Plans in mind. _W_hen he left Phasma _I_nsula, he started to train.

When he was nine he trained in Shaolin martial arts. They taught him that every punch, every b_l_ow, had a purpose. Whether it was to kill, or merely temporarily para_l_yze. He learned how to not waste energy. But while he was one of the more gifted pupils of the monks, he was also the most difficult student. He had a legendary temper that flared at every little wrong. He had a persistent spirit, which made the mentors worry. Many letters were exchanged with his guardian concerning the boys health. Iroh always wrote back the same thing, encourage him to rest and support him silently, but never try and break his ward, for he was already too broken.

All this because Zuko would rain blow after blow after blow on the training posts until he would collapse out of exhaustion. Time and time again he would train and then faint as his body strained against his will. Slowly he got stronger.

But the _d_riving force would always b_e_ anger.

When he was ten he left the shaolin temples and journeyed to the north. There he learned pin-point accuracy and he developed his instinct to the point that he could determine where a trigger was _f_ired and either dodge or counter the shot. He did well in these studies but as always their main concern was his t_e_mper.

For the next two years he would travel the globe seeking masters in the art of combat. As always he mastered the arts quickly, but his drawback was his inability to control his temper. He mastered his body. But he had yet to master his mi_nd_.

He returned to Libramen at _th_irt_e_en.

Iroh had kept IgnisCorps runn_in_g for the entire duratio_n_. Ozai wasn't around t_o_ see it but it had flourished and grew from a billion dollar company to a trillion. Zuko was a trillionaire.

At thirteen his uncle began training his mind while Zuko trained his body. Zuko relearnt the ways of etiquette and caught up on the five years of education he had missed. Yet, something was still missing. Iroh knew what it was. The boy was so intent on avenging his mother and unborn sibling that he didn't let anyone back into his heart. So Iroh did what he did best. He supported him.

Zuko was a trillionaire with access to te_c_hnology and materials beyond our own imagination. He could get anything he wanted, but he didn't. Zuko was too absorbed in revenge and hatred to know anything but the obliteration of Accida, and all _c_riminals that are funded by it.

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For the past year Iroh had secretly planned and created things slowly. Iroh had been working on this gift for a long time. He had construct_e_d triple weave fire resistant klevar for the main material of the suit, boots and gloves. This klevar in particular was really special for it contai_n_ed several nanites that could read the person internal body temperature and act accordingly whether the situation required it to cool the body down, or _t_o heat it up.

The nanites on the gloves and boots could do that and more. Iroh observed as he tested it. On the boots, working together with the nanites on the gloves, the wearer could cling to and go up vertical surfaces. The gloves could extend out into Wolverine like blades or into 'cat claws' that were frequently used in ninjitsu.

He had retrieved the Dao blades that Zuko often trained with, and made a new one. The obsidian handles had a dark navy design that ran up to the metallic blades.

Iroh knew Zuko loved motorcycles. When he was young, before the entire mess began, Zuko used to love to read comics about Gotham's Avenging Angel and his sidekick the Robin. From the time Zuko could read, he pasted posters of Robin's R-cycle around the room, He loved the sheek design of the motorcycle and the smooth finish that always gave the Boy Wonder the extra aerodynamics to perform his blend of acrobatic martial arts while on the information in mind, Iroh had designed a motorcycle based on the R-cycle. It was back with navy and blue designs that emulated the flames of their family name. Ignis.

Iroh gave him that as a gift on his fourteenth birthday. Everything to help Zuko on his quest was finished. Except for one thing. A mask.

* * *

Apparently though Zuko already had one. It's hollowed eyed visage was based after the traditional opera masks of China. The main 'skin' of the mask was blue, while the white stylised the mask into a gruesome grin. Some might call it frightening, or even demonic. But to some others, to the innocent and the defenceless, they would call it safe rescue. They would call him a dark hero.

His name was the Blue Spirit.

But to the citizens of Unitas, he was also know as the Dark Angel.

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A/N

So how was that? Can anything be improved? Should I keep writing? Should I get A beta? What did you like about it? What should be changed? Anyway… Rate and review this story!!! BTW if you wanna find out about Kelvar, it's on wikipedia.


	4. Origins I Zuko, Movement III Redemption

A/N

Hey I'm back!!! Yup the code is once again in italic so good luck!! The prizes are the same, a oneshot if you're the 25th or 30th reviewer and a one shot or poem for being the first to spot the hidden code!!! By the way you will find many references that you may not understand…Don't worry all will be well!!! BTW I placed him in a Secondary school because frankly, I grew up in the British system… And am currently working on my IGCSE course… There are very few action sequences in this chapter but I'll give you a hint. The Keepers meet!!!

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins I, Zuko

Movement III, Redemption

When Zuko turned sixteen, Iroh enrolled him in high school.

As you would know, high school would make everything even more complicated for the boy who already lives a double life. As Zuko Ignis. Heir of one of the most, no, the most powerful cooperations in Terre, powerful, good-looking, tragic. Yet he was also The Blue Spirit. The terror of felons and the defender of the in_n_ocent. Here was where it got complicated. He was enrolled in the school not as Zuko Ignis, but as Zuko Candeo, and to distinguish the two even further, Iroh created a ring for Zuko to wear at all times.

Although he was not vain, Zuko did have a s_e_nse of pride in his appearance. The ring made it easy for Zuko Ignis and Zuko Candeo to become separate. By giving Zuko a holographic scar.

Zuko, as Zuko Candeo, walked through the halls of Utunus Secondary's secondary building, a piece of paper in hand. Inwardly he groaned at the prospect of ha_v_ing to attend school, and at the fact that he couldn't seem to find out exactly where his form room was. The teacher's were all busy sorting out their classes and the stupid memo pad in his hand only had one room number, G15. Normally, a teacher would have shown him to his class, or if he was attending school as Ignis, he would have had the principle to escort him around the place. But no. Right now, he was Zuko Candeo and he was lost. And late to boot.

'G15…G15…G15… Urgh!!! How hard can it be to find on_e_ class?!?!?!'

He yelled in his mind. Not paying attention to whe_r_e he was going. As we all know, if one does not pay attention to where they were going, one will undoubtedly bump into something… Lets just say Zuko proved the saying right.

"Ouch!!!"

"Watch where you're goin_g_ mister!!!"

Zuko fell on his butt. Playing the part of the clumsy teenager (as we all know he's far from that) to a tee. Then again, as Zuko would look back, the mocha skinned, aquamarine-d eyed girl that stood _i_n front of him, was very strong. Her eyes flashed in anger as she turned away from him and said.

"Mark my words whoever you are, I do not like you."

'Ouch.'

He thought.

'That actually hurt.'

* * *

After a minutes worth of angst, he stood back up and continued his quest for G15, but he still had the same results as before. He couldn't find it. Suddenly a gust of wind passed him by screaming

"I'm late!!!!"

Apparently, the person screaming the _v_oice had pushed him, and once again Zuko acted out his identity of a clumsy teen and fell over. His file slipping out of his hand and falling to the ground. Unlike last time however a girl stooped down and helped him up. As he got up he noticed that the girl was blind. So he quickly took her hand and signed to her in her palm (A/N Yes Zuko is now a brilliant actor and an expert in sign language.)

*Thank you.*

The girl looked surpris_e_d, she shook her head lightly and replied.

"My name is Toph. I can hear and speak perfectly fine, so you don't have to sign."

Zuko signed back. (A/N Zuko can talk, it's just that his voice is really recognisable to those of the general p_u_blic. So Iroh and him decided that it was best just to use sign language.)

*You're a poet and you don't know it. Back to your statement. You can speak perfectly fine, what if I can't*

"Oh. Sorry didn't think of it that way… So anyway, what's your name?"

*Zuko.*

"You mean like Zuko Ignis?"

*No_p_e, Zuko Candeo. What about you? Is your last name Bei Fong?*

"Yup."

*Kne_w_ it.*

" So, I've never seen you around school before… You new?"

*Yup.*

"Need help?"

*Do you know where G15 _i_s?*

"Easy. I'll guide you there."

_T_op_h_ headed off in the directi_o_n of G15, Zuko in tow. They stopped in front of the classroom; as quickly as she g_u_ided him to his class she bid her farewells and ran towards her form room.

Zuko read the label pasted on the door of G15. It read: Ms Ryset, 11V. He sighed and went in.

* * *

"Sokka Mare-maris? Sokka? SOKKA!"

Zuko wa_t_ched as a boy was shocked out of his sleep and jolted upright, at the same time he screamed

"HERE!!!"

"Sokk_a_, apparently last year you kept falling asleep in all of your classes. Your GCSEs are this year! Don't make a habit out of it."

"I understand Miss Ryset."

"Very well then. Zuko Candeo?"

Zuko got up from his seat in the corner by the classroom window and walked towards her. In his hand he had a note that told the school about his supposed condition. He watched as the teacher read the note and nod her af_f_irmative. She quickly tried to set him at ease.

"Zuko, don't worry about your handicap. All the teachers at Utunus know how to sign and if they don't, the school will provide you with this."

Zuko's form tutor paused and pulled out from her desk a hologram generator and tried to show him how to use it. Zuko would've smirked at it, after all, it was Igniscorps that invented it. He strapped the device onto his wr_i_st and typed in the words.

^Miss Ryset, I'm Present.^

Miss Ryset smiled at him and passed him his schedule.

* * *

Zuko _g_roaned as he flopped down onto his bed in the Ignis Manor. Who knew that school could be more tiring than patrol? Speaking of which, Zuko sat up and quickly made his way to the Spirit Aerie. _H_e had work to do.

* * *

Minutes later in the Aerie, Zuko examined the blood he found in the crime scene. Trying to determine whether or not the blood belonged to the victim or the perpetrator. He was dressed in his Blue Spirit suit with no mask, ready for action, the Spirit Summoner could light up in the sky at any moment. Or if not the Spirit Summoner, then most certainly the Spirit Call would alert him to any danger on the streets tonight.

The computer that he was working at suddenly lit up with a blue, white and silver glow. He had to go.

'Sodd homework, the city needs the Blue Spirit.' He thought as he raced down the passage that lead to the heart of Unitas. The black motorcycle leaving behind a momentary trail of blue and whi_t_e flames.

Saving people. Protecting them from his tragic fate. This was his way of grieving. This was his way of saying sorry to his mother and unborn sibling. This was his way of redeeming himself.

The petty crook of the night would remember two things when he woke up in the hospital with slight burns. One, the Blue Spirit had defeated him, painfully; and two, the Blue Spirit welded flames as if they came from his own body…

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A/N

Don't worry, not too good with cliffhangers. Anyway. Tell me what you think about it!! And lets try to get it to 30 reviews!!! So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! ...Anyway... Poor Zuko!!!! However is he going to manage his triple life?


	5. Origins II Katara, Movement I Promise

A/N

HEYA!!!!! Sorry this chapter took so long… But there is a good reason. The Narrator (the authoress of the fall of the Blue Spirit, awesome fic go read it!) has agreed to be my beta! Unfortunately due to time differences and the like this chapter took almost a week to edit. (mainly because I'll go to sleep at a certain time and she's probably waking up at another time…) So don't worry. I assure you, this chapter is worth the wait!!!

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins II, Katara.

Movement I, Promise

A few leagues south of the land of Libramen, there's a secret isle. But the word "secret" might be misleading: people knew of the island, but very few knew anything for certain about it. The islanders, protective to the point of paranoia of their privacy, engaged in the lowest level of diplomacy with neighbours necessary to make them aware of the island's desire to be left alone. As a result, rumours and whispers about the place spun into the stuff of myth and legend. But, as you may know, every myth, legend, every story, have buried within them a grain of truth.

There is a legend that the citizens of the isle of Inapita are not fully human. That is true. For Inapita was not just an island. It is one of the gateways between the dimensions of Animadverto, the realm of reality and Veneficus, the realm of magic.

Many of the citizens of Inapita were of mixed blood. They held within them the blood of humans and the blood of the fae, the elves, and elemental sprites, although they appeared human. In addition, the strength of the human gene neutralised the attributes of Veneficus, which manifested most often as the ability to use magic.

Yet although this was true for most of the people of Inapita, it didn't apply to Katara.

She was born of a mixed father and a mixed mother: Chief Hakoda, born of humans and fairies, and his wife, Chieftess Kaya, unique among the islanders for being born of both the race of the elves and that of the elemental sprites. Of her two children, Sokka, like his father, exhibited the human dominance of his genetic makeup. Katara, on the other hand, took after her mother.

In spite of this, Katara did bear physical resemblance to her father, her mocha skin, chocolate hair and aquamarine eyes. To any who would just merely glance at her, she appeared fully human.

Kaya soon determined that the main source of her daughter's magic was water. Katara's affinity with the element manifested in her ability to bend it to her will, using it as a tool of mischief as she paid back her brothers pranks on her in full. Seeing their princess's ability, and seeing that she wasn't shunned inspired a few others with the ability to manipulate water to step forward. Inapita's subjects treasured the little princess, but they couldn't confine her to the island. The island was too small for the rambunctious little girl's curiosity she needed something more. She needed the world.

In celebration of Katara's sixth birthday, the court planned a trip to Libramen. Hakoda's chief advisor, Bato, would take over as Chieftain while the royal family was away. Everything seemed to be going perfectly for the little girl, who counted down the days until she could climb aboard the ship that would take her over the horizon to the strange, exciting world that waited beyond.

But word had found its way to the mainland about the princess's ability on the island. The rumours of the island made its way to the ear of the Dran of Accida for he had eyes and ears everywhere.

Inapita's carefree days were coming to a close.

* * *

The Dran of Accida tapped his fingers against the ebony desk. Various memoirs written by previous Drans described the oddity of the island, and the magnetic pull of power that it radiated. Twenty years ago, he had dispatched a team of operatives, led by brilliant and ambitious junior member of the Dran's spy network, to the island in the guise of a humble merchant crew. The team's ship "happened" to get lost in a storm, foundering on the shores of Inapita, and the team leader, CadoCustodis, proceeded to integrate with the unsuspecting populace.

Over the years, CadoCustodis and his team collected a massive amount of information per his employer's desires, transmitting the data via a secret Accidan technology, that ran on CadoCustodis's own 'spark'. The Dran grew closer to understanding the 'spark' that so many Drans before him briefly mentioned from their studies.

From that information, he had deduced what the spark actually was: magic.

All humans had a certain magical potential, shortened to 'MP' in the secret yet cold, dry scientific studies that Accida engaged in; some just happened to possess more of it than others. The ones with the highest MP were the ones that had the 'spark'.

The Dran grew ever more intrigued with the island, even as a grim sense of foreboding grew stronger with every report. What made the MP of the island population higher than most places in the world? Why did the island have the highest number of humans with the spark? He would watch and wait…

Six years ago, CadoCustodis had sent something that almost made him end those years of watching and waiting. A human (he assumed) child of extremely high MP, capable of manipulating water, had come to the attention of his agent. Even more remarkable was her age: potential magic-users most often manifested their abilities at the age of seven, in rare cases, five. The child in question had manifested almost at birth. That is, if CadoCustodis's magolometer was still measuring MP correctly and had not gone on the fritz after all these years. As much as he loathed the idea that creatures other than humans possessed the 'spark,' the Dran was not an impulsive man. He carefully considered the implications of what CadoCustodis had told him. By their very existence, these mongrels with the 'spark' could be dangerous to Accida's plans. Annihilation, the brutal operation required to remove these disturbing elements, required planning, years of it if necessary, to ensure every threat was eliminated in one blow. His decision made, the Dran had enacted the operation. CadoCustodis and his team were instructed to mark the dogs deemed a threat. The other details of invasion, the Dran had handed over to his strategists and mercenary contractors.

Tonight, those six years of planning and preparing would come to fruition.

The phone rang.

The Dran picked up the phone and gave the order.

* * *

Tonight the family was leaving for Libramen.

Hakoda chuckled at the antics of his wife and children as the family clustered together in the port's crowded passenger lounge. They had never been off the island before, since it was not custom that the Chieftain's family accompany him on his rare diplomatic meetings with neighbouring countries, so their anticipation was high. They were waiting on the international docks of Inapita when they saw it: the signal flag atop a ship's mast in the distance. The symbol of the black flaming skull fluttered in the breeze as the battle ships drew closer and closer.

Inapita was a peaceful nation, unexposed to the terrors of war. The people stood and watched the ships get closer in shock. All of a sudden, a light burst out on Kaya and Katara. Hakoda and the people around them stared in shock at the golden crescent moon that had suddenly appeared on foreheads. Slowly more appeared, until a tenth of those in the waiting lounge had the same symbol on their heads. All of those who had the crescent on their foreheads were magic users.

Then chaos broke.

Katara could only remember Bato yelling to them to leave the island for their own safety as he held off the armed men with the flaming skull across their breast that had suddenly stormed the docks. She remembered her family being escorted to the emergency ship. She remembered her mother's quiet "oomph" as they ran. But what she remembered most of all was the cold taking over her mother's warm hand as slowly, she died, just steps away from the emergency ship. Just moments away from freedom.

* * *

Silence descended upon the ship as they drew away from their homeland. The men that were the crew bowed their head in grief for the loss of their countrymen and the loss of their queen.

Hakoda caressed his wife's body, touching her cheek, whispering her name over and over, hoping that the nightmare would end and he would wake up to his wife's smile once again. Yet deep down, he knew. He knew she wasn't coming back.

Sokka, graced with a child's innate perceptiveness and conviction, knew he had to make Daddy understand. Dancing around his father, jabbering through his tears about happy times and the way his mother must be looking down at them right now and wishing her husband would smile for her, the boy finally persuaded Hakoda to look up at him with a watery smile.

Katara stayed in her room. She couldn't understand why her brother and father looked so sad. Mum was here! In her room! With her! Couldn't they see?!?!? She raised her eyes to the translucent form of her mother.

"Mum. When are they going to stop crying?"

"Probably not for a long time mo cushle."

"But you are here! I can see you! I am talking to you!"

"Mo cushle, you may be able to see me. But they can't. For you, I'll be around for a much longer time. You still have so much to learn from me, and I'll only rest in peace after you rescue them."

"Rescue who?"

"Those men."

"But they made you leave your body!"

"Ah…Mo cushle, I can tell you this. No one in their right mind would want to take another's life. Understand?"

* * *

Her mother received a sailor's burial at sea, both because it was too dangerous to make for land, but also because Kaya had always loved the sea. As her mother disappeared beneath the pitching deep blue crested with white foam, Katara wept. She cried for all those who were like her mother, for all those who were like her and for the people that did this to her country.

She never got a good look at her mother's killer but she knew one thing. Somebody had to rescue those who were trapped in the hands of the killers that destroyed her people. If no one else would do it, she was going to try to set them free.

She was going to defend the just and the weak. She was going to defeat the 'evil people'.

She was going to try to heal the criminals and the victims.

That she promised.

* * *

A/N

Yes, this is the longest chapter yet. So, what did you think of it? How do you feel about my beta-ed chapter? I know the Narrator is awesome for putting up with me… Anyway, read and review!!!


	6. Origins II Katara, Movement II Adapting

A/N

Hey! Sorry this took so long!!! But now it's here so enjoy! BTW I'll be translating everything Kat says for you. just look for any words that are inbetween these brackets{} k?

* * *

**The Keepers: Rise**

Katara's Origins

Movement II, Adapting

It had been six long years. Six years since her mother left her body. Six years since they took up residence in Libramen under the protection of political asylum. Six years since she saw her homeland, her people.

Almost as soon as they arrived in Libramen, her father had enrolled Katara and Sokka in one of Unitas's most famous primary schools, Unuspes, sister school to Utunus Secondary.

Katara sighed as she looked through the window of her classroom at the ocean. She hated this class, mathematics, in particular for two main reasons. The first was that she was terrible at it. The second was the reason stated above. The only upside of her maths class was that she could see the ocean from where she sat.

Leaning even more towards the window, she decided to practice what her mother taught her last night: to scry using water. Underneath her breath, she chanted:

"_Bahari wakabadili na kugeuka fomu mbele kuona zaidi_." {"Ocean that twists and turns, become the sight that sees beyond."}

Invisible to any ordinary eye, the crest of the ocean waves formed pictures. Thousands of places, faces and events appeared. They floated like a thin piece of tissue on top of the water. She had to sort through them to see what she wanted. Her homeland. Katara remembered what her mother told her to use to sort through what she wanted to see and what she didn't want to see. Once again she whispered out words of her language. Silently, anticipation grew in her chest. Would the island be the same? She knew from her father that some survived the attack on their homeland and rebuilt under the leadership of Bato. Would the people have relearnt how to laugh and be happy in the sad situation that they had found themselves in.

"_Ya eneo Animadverto, kuonekana nchi yangu, Inapita!_" {"Of the realm of Animadverto, reveal my country, Inapita!"}

Suddenly, the pictures on the waves crests shifted and the pristine shores of her country came into view. Black sand and white trees created an ethereal atmosphere, fitting for one of the gates between Animadverto and Veneficus. Strangely, the island appeared quiet. Too quiet.

Katara had suspected that, considering what had happened six years ago, her home country would have changed, but she hadn't expected it to change to this degree! She always remembered Inapita as a country of laughter and sound. Yet, because of those men, it was gone. The children that use to run on the beach weren't there. The picnickers and the old vacation homes of the nobles of the court were no longer there.

"KATARA MARE-MARIS!!!! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"

She froze and sheepishly turned her head away from the sea, towards the teacher, bracing for the scolding that was surely to come.

"Yes, Mr Sugwiltd."

To her surprise, Mr Sugwiltd's gaze softened and lost some of the ferocity. In relief she noted how his body language relaxed. She knew that now she was probably let off the hook, although she might have to answer a question, she smirked to herself.

"If you are, please solve the following…"

'Bingo,' she thought. She answered the question that he drawled out after a few moments of looking at the equation and furiously working it out on a piece of paper she had whipped out of her pencil case. Her final answer was:

"K= 3-m (XY^q-19)"

"Correct Miss Mare-Maris. Now class…"

She tuned the teacher out and continued her musings. She just wished that back then she could have fought and protected her country like the Blue Spirit was doing for Unitas. Rumours had sprung up about the mysterious monster that defended the innocent and punished the felons. Why couldn't she have done that for Inapita during the raid? If she could whip her brother's butt back then, then she could've certainly gone down fighting! But no. She had to run away like a coward. Although her father and brother both told her time and again that they had no other choice, she couldn't help but feel responsible for the attack on her homeland. Her classmates gossiped endlessly about him despite the teacher. The Blue Spirit. Bits and pieces of their conversations floated towards her:

"I heard that he…"

"Well, I heard he…"

"Really? I heard he…"

In a way, she envied him. She envied the way he was able to step up, with little more than swords, blades like tiger claws that sprang out of his knuckles; and bike to protect those around him. There was so much more that she could do and yet she was here, stuck with homework and no way to fulfil the promise she had made to her mother's spirit. She was worried though. During the past year her mother appeared to be fading, growing more and more transparent to her eyes.

But Katara was honest with herself; it wasn't power that she lacked. Above all, the Blue Spirit possessed something else she didn't: courage. It was funny really. She could talk to her mother's spirit, manipulate water, scry using the sea, heal almost any wound; and yet she lacked courage.

* * *

A few hours later, after their teachers reviewed their end of year exams, Katara and her friend, Suki, walked home together. Suki stretched her arms above her head, exclaiming,

"I can't believe that after this summer we will be in Utunus!"

"Yeah. But really, aren't you nervous? I know I am," Katara said, an amused smile playing upon her face at her

"Well, I don't really know. I don't feel nervous, well, not just yet…"

"Suki, we will no longer need to be the responsible seniors of primary school!!!"

"Honestly Katara, that probably is the only reason you are looking forward to secondary."

"Yes, it is."

Without warning, men and women, wearing dark jackets and sunglasses, surrounded them. The thugs brandished crowbars and bats. The same symbol as the men that had attacked Katara's country was emblazoned on their jackets. Katara stiffened, remembering the fateful day that tore away such an important part of her family. Terror crept slowly up her spine. In spite of this, when she noticed Suki slipping into a defensive stance out of the corner of her eye, she gathered up the remnants of her courage. Just as she settled into a stance that mirrored Suki, she heard her friend whisper, "Run! Call for help! I'll hold them off."

Katara hesitated, unsure of Suki's decision. Suddenly, one of the men swung his crowbar at Katara.

Swiftly, Suki swung her school bag, knocking the crowbar to one side, closing in with a fast kick to his groin. Without a break in stride, she whipped out the stainless steel ruler from her pencil case, lunging at the man standing beside the first attacker, using the ruler like a short sword, cutting him across the eyes. Her movements were deadly and precise. She blocked. She jumped. She kicked. She slammed her elbows and knees into guts and chests, knocking the wind temporarily out of them. She used her ruler as a blade and drew blood. Needless to say, the thugs had little attention to spare for Katara.

"Run, Katara!" Suki shouted to her friend, who had been standing to one side, gaping in shock. When had Suki learned to fight like that?

Katara ran, as fast as she could away from the scene. She was half crazy with adrenaline, shock and fear at seeing that terrible symbol; those men were murderers!. Images floated in her mind once again. She heard the cries of the men and women that died. She felt her mother's hand grow cold and heavy in hers. She nearly sank to the ground with the agonizing weight of the memories. Yet she ran on, tears burning down her face. Suddenly she stopped short, hearing her mother's voice.

"Katara, why do you run?"

"I have to get help!"

"Mo cushle, this is your opportunity to help."

"Yes, I know! I've got to find the police!"

"No. You can help."

"What?"

"Mo cushle, you have the power to help. Use it. It is time to stop running. It is time to stand and fight."

"But…" Katara hesitated and fiddled with the ends of her braid as her loyalty to Suki struggled against her fear of those men. Suki, so brave – could she really run away from that? Katara looked up at the faint outline of her mother's spirit and answered,

"You're right… But I can't go and charge in unprotected! Mum! You know that my magic isn't as strong during the day!"

"Remember the protection chant?"

"Yes...?"

"You know what to do then."

"_Silaha ya maji, kulinda yangu_." {"Armour of water, protect me."}

She felt water surrounding her, as if she were submerged in a swimming pool. Her magic was transforming the clothes she wore into robes of crimson. Markings of red appeared on her coffee skin, and finally, the Accidan mark of death, the golden crescent moon, appeared on her forehead. She felt the armour amplify her powers and increase her defences in preparation of what was surely to come. She was ready.

"_Ukungu!_" {"Mist!"} "_Haraka!_" {"Rapids!"}

Mist surrounded her body; a surge of power that doubled her speed filled her as she called on the power of the river rapids. The word of speed wouldn't last long, so, quickly, she made her way back to Suki.

* * *

Suki was still fighting. She was hurt, but so far the wounds were only superficial. However, she didn't know how long she could last like this against the remaining men. The baseball bat she'd grabbed from one of the fallen thugs after her ruler broke was getting heavy. But if she gave in, her wounds would not just be superficial anymore. So she fought on, praying that Katara would arrive with help soon; after all, her shifu in wushu had taught her to fight till her last breath. On the verge of collapse, Suki thought she heard a strange but clear voice call out:

"_Maji, kumfunga_!"

Her opponents were suddenly bound up in tentacles that seemed to be made out of water. 'Wish, granted,' Suki thought, reeling out of the way as her legs seemed to give out under her in relief. Katara, about to tighten her grip to throw the people aside saw Suki staggering towards a tree in exhaustion. Suki fainted, the strain overtaking her body. Katara's water bonds on the criminals slackened…

Through the water, Katara felt the thugs' heartbeats slow, signalling to her that they had abruptly gone unconscious. Most of the felons that she had bound up were now falling heavily to the ground. Katara stared in confusion. She didn't think that they were so weak as to faint with just a touch! She'd hardly done anything!

"Take her to safety, I'll hold them off," a gruff, authoritative, voice growled.

Dumbly, she nodded at the black-clothed, blue-masked figure as she scooped up Suki and ran towards the nearest park. She felt shock run through her as she realized that the Blue Spirit had just helped her and that he just taken out her first real opponents without invitation. A strange feeling washed over her; of course was she grateful to the Blue Spirit for stepping in (from who knows where), but she was also annoyed at the fact that he must have assumed they were some sort of damsels-in-distress! But her pride could wait. Suki was hurt and kicking the Blue Spirit's chauvinist butt was less important than seeing to her friend.

Suki stirred and looked up at a strange person healing the cut across her stomach. She had no idea how she got the cut and she had no idea where she was. She scrutinized the girl who was healing her. The girl stopped and caught her stare.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"That was quite a fight you put up."

"I assume that you are the one Katara asked for help from?"

"That would be me and the Blue Spirit."

Suki blinked as she quickly replied, "But who are _you_?"

Katara hesitated briefly at her friend's question. She thought through many names in the blink of an eye before settling on one.

"I'm called... the Painted Lady."

* * *

A/N

Sorry no hidden messages in this chapter or the previous one. Although I might consider writing a Zutara oneshot or poem for the person who tells me what Maji Kumfunga means. I'll give you a hint. Africa. And be sure to check out my site! (remember to remove spaces!!!) http:// eastonia . webs . com!!!


	7. Origins II Katara, Movement III Amazon

AN: Sorry for the delay, just did a couple of my 10 IGCSEs, 2 down 8 to go in May. Hope you enjoy this chapter and review please! This chapter is of yet unbetaed so, the betaed chapter will replace this one soonish. anyway enjoy!

* * *

Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

* * *

**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins II Katara

Movement III – Amazon

Katara slumped onto the beach outside of Utunus Secondary School. She relished the smell of the ocean spray and the sound of the tide crashing upon the shore. Then, she cringed in pain. The spasm shot through her abdomen and raced across her entire being. She groaned, tiredly lifting her hand up and calling the water towards her, not caring if someone were to come across her doing this. Gritting her teeth as another pang of pain rushed across her body, she willed the water to rest upon her torso and spoke one word

"Kuponya" {"Heal"}

She sighed in temporary relief as the pain numbed, remembering her day.

_"Ouch!"_

_"Watch where you're going mister!"_

_The teen fell on his butt clumsily after absentmindedly bumping into her. She was late enough as it was! Her eyes flashed in anger as she suddenly realised that she now had detention for being late twice this week to school. Mentally groaning, she turned away from him and said._

_"Mark my words whoever you are, I do not like you."_

She cringed at the memory. That was not what she meant to say to him, in fact, if he had crashed into her any day other than the day of the start of her period, she would have probably helped him up; but instead, he caught her while she PMS-ed.

Quite suddenly a grin broke out on her face as she recalled a more pleasant event, for 2 years and a week to date, The Painted Lady had joined the fight against the forces of Accida; and even better, exactly 1 year ago, she had been accepted (however reluctantly) by the Blue Spirit as a protector of Unitas. Of course, after actually spending some time with the guy, her opinion of the Blue Spirit had changed, slightly, he was only mortal after all. She shrugged, her opinion did change, but he still could be a cold, stoical, jerk; but she did have to hand it to the guy; it was, after all, his turf first.

Her grin grew wider as she remembered exactly how she got accepted.

"_Stop doing that!"_

_She cried out in frustration. As another group of Accidan lackeys were knocked out not by her, but by the Blue Spirit. The unit of felons lay writhing in agony on the ground and he was crouched above them, securing the bindings he placed on their limbs. He seemingly ignored her as she ranted on._

"_I mean, you can't just waltz in on another person's stakeout and take over the job for them! I've been here for the past three days based on information from…"_

_It was at this point she realised three things. One, she was rambling. Two, she almost told the Blue Spirit that her information came from her father – not good. Three, he wasn't even listening!_

"_Hey, just you wait mister, this is my city too. I have a right to protect it, just as much as you do. And who told you that only you were allowed to protect this city? You don't even have the power that I do! I have magical abilities, and you? You're just some random guy that decided, hey, why don't I traipse around in spandex beating people up! You know…"_

"_It's kelvar."_

_He said, his gruff tones interrupting her. She stopped mid-rant in surprise. He never talked to her. Other than their first encounter, when they met, he had not spoken. At all. Yet there was something different about his voice. She distinctly remembered the Blue Spirit's voice being 2 octaves higher than it was now, that in mind, she scrutinised his figure._

"_What?"_

_He questioned her, feeling uncomfortable, he preferred to work in silence, noise drew attention to him. More attention meant a higher chance of Accida finding out his true identity. Additionally, silence would prevent awkward situations. Such as the one he found himself in. He shifted noiselessly from foot to foot, wondering if could make his usual disappearance soon when she started to giggle. Then her giggles morphed, into full on belly splitting laughter. And inbetween each cry, she gasped._

"_Not only are you a powerless, chauvinistic jerk. You're a powerless, chauvinistic jerk that traipses around in span- excuse me - kelvar, going through puberty, with his voice beginning to break."_

"_I do not traipse!"_

_Ordinarily, this would have been rather intimidating, as he replied in his usual 'Ghost Tone™' of gruffness and growls. What made it amusing to her really, was that while it was indeed intimidating, it was only so when he said 'I do'. His 'not traipse' had somehow decided that he was not a human, but a mouse, and so turned into this ridiculously high squeak. Humorously, to her at least, he had quickly clamped his left hand over his mouth and was now trying to re-gain his 'reputation' by fixing her with a 'Soul Stare™' (patent pending of the Blue Spirit). The blank look bored into her soul and she grasped why the criminals were frightened of him. Then deftly removing his hand from over his mouth he spoke._

"_Meet me at the beach, Ionpass' Cove, 20 minutes."_

_Behind the veil, her eyebrows rose, and she swore that his voice had dropped lower than her father's. It actually made the 'Ghost Tone' almost freaky. With that thought, she quickly, froze the criminals onto the pavement and said – _

"_Haraka!" {"Rapids!"}_

_She had to get there soon, the place of the stakeout was exactly 20 minutes away from Ionpass' Cove. In any case, she could only run so fast._

_She got to the cove in 15 minutes._

_It was deserted._

_Maybe he was running late? Maybe he forgot? Well, if he forgot, great! She had school tomorrow anyway. She was just about to turn out of the cove when she heard him._

"_You're late."_

_She whipped around to find him standing right behind her, casually , as if he had been in that spot the whole time. She could only read arrogance from his posture and so went on the defensive._

"_Excuse me for making sure that they would stay there!"_

"_You want to fight?"_

_How could he constantly shock her? How could he so rudely interrupt her? How could he treat her like she hadn't been defending the city for the past year?_

"_Excuse me?" she replied angrily._

"_You want to help? Tie against me."_

'_So,' she thought to herself, 'he thinks I won't be able to beat him, even with my powers.' And with that she had only two words to say to him,_

"_Bring it."_

_Then suddenly, she heard footsteps, running all around, surrounding her. Then, all was still. She turned. She looked. No one was around. No one was there. The Blue Spirit had lived up to his name. He had spirited away…_

"_COWARD!" her voice rang through the cove._

_Then it hit her._

_The force threw her to the ground. Sending her into overdrive. She couldn't see him. No, he kept to the shadows too well. She couldn't hear him. No, he was as stealthy as a predator. She couldn't… wait. SHE COULD!_

_The water in his being called to her like a moth to a flame, unbidden, she uttered words that would change their relationship from barely tolerated acquaintances, to reluctant partners._

"_Maji ya ndani, kumfunga adui yangu!" {"Water within, bind my enemy!"}_

_Then she saw him, he was struggling within her hold. Her hold. She did it! She overpowered him. She…oh dear. She was blood bending. The one thing her mother told her that was an absolute, last resort action, and she didn't listen when her mum taught her the 'antidote', now all she could do was watch him. Watch him writhe in agony. Watch him fade in her grasp. Then, something odd happened. Words he obviously did not know spilt out of his mouth._

"_Botar lume, auga!" {"Unhand fire, water!"}_

_She felt her hold on him release as crimson flames burst out of his body and he collapsed. 'Spirit Tone™' gone as he shakily asked her._

"_What just happened?"_

_With such a event, as the one that just passed, all she could say simply was_

"_Magic."_

From then on, she recalled, the Blue Spirit would meet up with her to learn how she controlled her powers. He accepted her help, (rather grudgingly actually) and showed her the true ropes of the city. Additionally, he had her, and she him, on speed dial now. She smiled, pulling out the portable Spirit Caller she kept on her person at all times. Admiring it. Then the blue, white and silver logo lit up, she quickly placed the communications device to her ear, (to protect her identity, of course) and answered.

"What's up?"

His voice for some reason, had decided to pull out of the freakishly deep regions to a smooth range of a tenor-baritone. She actually enjoyed listening to it now that it had settled there. Personally, she thought that he could probably make a living reading out books to turn into audio books.

"Straits road. Accidan thugs. Jewel heist."

"Got you."

She wondered why the Accidans were attacking during the day, they usually waited till the cover of night to attack. She then saw the silverish glow of the landscape and realised, it was night. Good thing her father knew what she was doing. She couldn't handle Sokka being all overprotective. She shuddered with the thought of what he would do if he found out that his father and sister were keeping secrets from him; and with that, she hung up, carefully placed the communicator on the ground, and cried out the words that were now so familiar to her –

"Silaha ya maji, kulinda yangu!" {"Armour of water, protect me!"}

"Ukungu!" {"Mist!"}

"Haraka!" {"Rapids!"}

and took off, into the night.

* * *

AN: So once again, sorry about the delay and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	8. Origins III Toph, Mvmt I Never Powerless

AN:- Yes, I know this has been a long time in the making... But its finally up! Checks calendar... Approximately 1 year after my last upload... Don't be mad at me please? You know the drill, disclaimer in my profile, review please! It's unbeta-ed and rushed so don't expect a set storyline for this one. Toph took me and ran out of control...

* * *

Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.  
**  
**

* * *

**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins III, Toph

Movement I: Never Powerless

Toph knew from young that she was different. And not in a good way.

Funnily enough, it was her parent's fault she supposed, so desperate to have an heir to the Bei Fong wealth that they were willing to make a deal with the devil (figuratively of course). No one reminded them that Accidan research always had a price.

Theirs was to make her a foot soldier in their army. That is, if the experiment was successful.

It was.

They might have tried to keep it from her but she knew. As soon as she was weaned they were supposed to turn her over. The spark in her was bright, it was strong, Accida monitored her from the day she was, fertilised. Just as her parents gained her, they would lose her.

Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for Accida, she took care of that problem for them.

She was born blind.

The Accidan nurse in charge of the birth took one look at her and tried to terminate her. Her parents got in the way.

"How can you do that? We had a deal!"

"The Dran will never accept one disabled into the fold. The Dran cannot have any sparks disloyal to him. This child must die!"

"NEVER. She is still our daughter. You will not take her!"

Huh. At least that was what the video camera's audio told her. It explained somewhat why her parents refused to let her step 2 feet out of their sight, or that of their meticulously screened body guards. They knew Accidans would be after her. But they never stopped to think, hey, maybe if we trained her spark, she could avoid them.

Training her spark to die down to ordinary levels would have been very useful, Accida would take her to be a failed experiment and subsequently, leave her alone.

She concluded that her parents were dumb.

Keeping her from training her spark, keeping her from the world was just going to make her a sitting target. She refused to be a sitting target.

That's when she met Badger and Mole.

She was a blind little girl of 3 when she met them, just after she ran away from her parents for the first time. Badger had been the one to find her. He bent down and picked her up gently whispering soothing tones in her ear. Mole had found them. Her heart went out to what Toph was back then. And they taught her.

Because Badger and Mole were also blind.

It was not bad to be blind they said. Later in life, Toph realised that it was in fact extremely rare to have a child born with a spark that strongly corresponded with the earth and still possess sight. She was not a one-off case. She was normal.

That didn't mean she didn't wish she could see though.

So Badger and Mole taught her their kind of sight. Shifting her stance, tapping her toes, all of these were conductors for the spark within her. She could see…

Of course, not details and specifics like people with actual vision could, just heartbeats and steps to help her tell people apart. Best of all? They taught her how to mask her spark from the general public. She didn't know what happened, but one day, the Accidan assassins just stopped coming. She figured it was because her spark was more controlled now.

Accida, for all its research had overlooked something.

A controlled spark was a spark that as able to hide. Badger and Mole didn't know how to make her spark seem to disappear, but even though Accida was still able to monitor her, she was able to mask the main power of her spark to above normal levels.

Accida only harvested sparks with extremely high potential.

So as long as she trained, her spark would stay in control. So long as she stayed in control, Accida would write her off as a failed experiment. Never really knowing that the reason she was a failed experiment was because she was a successful experiment.

Oh well.

The hard part was convincing her parents to let her go to Unuspes Primary School. They didn't want her to go. She went anyway without their permission, nearly called child security on them too when the services found out she couldn't even read or write in Braille.

There apparently was another side effect to being a spark-wielder (as Badger and Mole called her and themselves), they were prodigies of a kind: spark-wielders picked up things quicker, saw things faster, understood better. Sure, like all prodigies there were areas they struggled in, (for Toph it was history, what's the use of history? She wanted to move forward, move on) but that was what made them human. What made them sentient and mortal.

Strangely enough, that was comforting.

She was super-powered (in a sense) being who could cause earthquakes by stomping her foot if she wanted to. The fact she was still mortal, humbled her slightly because like her parents, she could die. But that also meant she could truly live.

Badger's and Mole's version of sight gave her a release. She could do what she wanted now, (even if most of it had to be done behind her parents backs), go to school. You know? Be normal.

She knew she'd never really be normal.

But going to school? Being around other people? Especially after she turned 10 and IgnisCorps came out with the Dyrktor, a device that allowed blind people to 'see' where they were going?

It felt like normal, being accepted, was getting real close her reach.

Then they found Badger and Mole. It was terrible. The cavern that had become a second home to her had been destroyed and in the midst of it all was a message. A message that gave her relief and grief, it was the story about the hunt for those with the spark; the story of the desolation of a small island country called Inapita.

They had shown her how to use her spark.

Despite her parents, she was never powerless.

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AN:- Remember! REVIEW! AND A VERY HAPPY 2012 PEOPLE! Since it is 2012 where I am :) as always when the review count reaches a multiple of five, I'll update this :)


	9. Origins III Toph, Mvmt II Never Blind

**A/N:-** Yup, I'm breaking my rule of every 5 reviews. I figured, since I started writing in the Batzones of fanfiction that I might as well do this because I enjoy to, and because people seem to like it. So if you want to review, review,if you don't - enjoy the fic anyways :) and if you like check out the rest of my stuff on my profile. And Zuko weaseled his way in at the end this time... Cheers.

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Whispered lore fades to memory. Shameful tales kept to thyself. Tales buried deep within ones soul. Tales that no one but you know. But some stories embed themselves in your heart. Some stories leap from mouth to ear to mouth to ear. Some stories are just mean to be told.

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**The Keepers: Rise**

Origins III, Toph

Movement II: Never Blind

The Painted Lady had turned up six months ago in the summer. Toph was 11 (she was turning 12 in the spring) and life had never been better. Thanks to child services hanging the threat of ward of the state-ship for her over her parent's head she was free to go to school, and had for the past 2 years. Last year this stupidly hyper and happy boy joined her class and latched onto her. His name was Aang… she thought.

No matter.

What she was trying to figure out was what her parents were up to.

Well, that and how the heck child services weren't after the Painted Lady and Blue Spirit. True, she supposed, the Blue Spirit didn't get most of his, well, toys till this summer. That was not the point.

She had been on scene during a Blue Spirit rescue a year and a half ago. She felt his stance, his heartbeat. He couldn't have been more than 2 years older than her. She had also been on scene 5 months ago, during a Painted Lady and Blue Spirit team up. The Painted Lady couldn't have been more than a year younger than the Blue Spirit. Which meant that there was a pair of teenagers, at 13 and 14 years old that were running about out there fighting crime; and child services was still not after them.

Well, if child services ever got a hold of the parents or guardians of the vigilantes, there'd be consequences. Unless…

She asked around her classmates, anyone who had seen the masked duo up close. Apparently the Painted Lady looked at least 16, old enough to be tried as an adult and no one ever got a good look at the Blue Spirit.

That explained a lot actually. Silly normal people, even with all those magic shows floating around about the sleight of hand, thinking that the eye sees the most truly; the eye deceives more often than not. Body signals on the other hand, don't often lie.

She had attempted to learn more about her spark after Badger and Mole got captured. Didn't really work though. Everyone who might have been a mentor was taken.

She didn't want to lose practice with her spark-senses. The Dryktor her parents bought her really did go a long way, it was based on a very subtle form of echolocation, fed into the sensors she was able to process the information in her mind. Her spark-sense allowed her to do many things, unfortunately, minute details were not one of them.

So she joined the school newspaper.

Turned out her spark-sense was perfect for investigative journalism. Her sources were never wrong, because they told the truth and only truth.

Which was actually how she got into this mess in the first place.

You know the thing about how knowledge was power? Yeah. She found something out that she probably shouldn't have. Actually, who would've thought that investigating a small card players group in her Year – Six thank you very much, she'd be in Secondary next year – would turn up connections to Accida? Well, not Toph that was.

She had no tools, no mask, no nothing. In fact what she should've done with the info was pass it directly to the police of her district – You see, Unitas was a huge city, so huge in fact it was divided up into districts that could be stand alone cities of their own if there ever was need be – and thankfully, her district's finest were still mostly not corrupt just like the Painted Lady's district. The Blue Spirit's district was the worst off, she heard honest bobbies in that district were an endangered species that kept their head down as often as possible, although they were learning how to stand again with the Azure Demon's help.

But no. She was Toph Bei Fong, and she would not let her leads be chased by other people.

That was why she was buried underneath the foundation of an Accidan gambling ring headquarters. Now normally a bit of a bet here and there was perfectly fine to her, in fact she encouraged it. But when the winnings were drugs? Or women and men that were no longer entirely there because something was done to them? Nope. She was definitely not in over her head.

Badger and Mole called her the best earth spark user of her generation, and darn it, it may be Spirit territory she was in but whatever.

She was here, she could do something.

And it looks like she had backup anyway. The familiar signature of the Blue Spirit – oh how she loved the fact that she could sneak out to watch these battles at night. Of course she would not get involved, Accida might notice her spark-signature – was escorting groups of the women out of the poor excuse of a casino.

The ordinary people – the victims – are out. That means she could bury the lot under a pile of rubble. Which was exactly what she did.

In the cavern in the foundation of the building she moved her arms, extending her spark's reach into the pillars of support of the building.

She grinned.

And her hands crushed into fists. Cracks appeared in the walls of the 'casino' as the patrons paused from their dealings due to the ominous sounds of crumbling earth.

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Outside the Blue Spirit nodded to himself as he administered the last of the antidotes to the, for lack of better words, slaves of Accida, the building that housed the gambling ring was falling to pieces… All because of one small girl.

He knew he should feel slightly insulted that she thought she could tail him and not have him notice. The Lady's training of his spark allowed him two figure out some things, the foremost being the masking of the spark right down to ordinary civilian levels – he couldn't afford the man who sired him to identify him while he tried to infiltrate the organisation. But he knew this girl. Given the right push – like tonight for instance – she'll start to fight against Accida.

Yes he knows about the Bei Fongs, and how the girl must feel she's screaming inside – all the time. And as the building settles, a portion of it begins to move again to form a plaque.

Written on it: Brought to you by the Blind Bandit.


End file.
